The Maldives luxury resort holiday with no limits -International Traveller

What could you do on a Maldives luxury resort holiday with no limits, when money is absolutely no object? ‘Personal luxury travel concierge’ Di Lechner tells Steve Madgwick her best of the best resorts and experiences in the island nation.

The Maldives is an expensive destination, but an equally expensive mistake to make if you choose the wrong resort. So if you are ready to splash the cash for your honeymoon or one-off splurge, you most well aim high.

We asked personal luxury travel concierge Di Lechner, owner of independent Addicted to Maldives, to give us her top-shelf pick of accommodation, bars, spas and experiences in this Indian Ocean paradise.

Only the best rooms for you

Unlike many open-water or lagoon villas, 250-square-metre Ocean Reef House at Amilla Fushi Resort & Spa is set right out on the reef, meaning the ocean is immediately accessible directly from the villas.

The drop-off is literally right on your doorstep, so just pop on your flippers and snorkels and there are turtles and stingrays flapping around below.

If you’re lucky (as Di once was), a pod of dolphins could swim by as you sip an afternoon glass of wine on the sunbed next to the villa’s private fresh-water pool.

The Crusoe Residence villas (at Gili Lankanfushi resort) are the very definition of standalone, with a good 20 to 30 metres between you and your nearest neighbour.

Forget about the usual jetty-accessed villas, here you are gifted a private paddleboat to get to and from the main island.

Pop a book in your hand, swim out to your private suspended hammock, located in the clear water directly in front of the villa, and spend an hour or two catching rays.

Eating out Maldives style

Soneva Fushi Resort’s Fresh in the Garden is all about making an entrance: climb up a flight of stairs to an elevated walkway, walk across a rustically wobbly, wood and rope suspension bridge, one at a time.

The restaurant’s roundtable is the one to aim for. Perch on comfortable cushions on a platform nestled in treetops, overlooking jungle-like foliage, and the herb and vegetable garden below.

The open kitchen is great for chef gazing, plus you should be able to find something to match your modern-Med meal in the 7000-bottle wine cellar.

It doesn’t get much fresher than the Ocean to Table experience over at W Retreat & Spa. No, it’s not an empty slogan: your chef literally stands in the sea with a little grill to cook you the catch of the day.

Most prefer to eat their succulent seafood on a cute beach-side table nearby rather than wading in.

Another fine-dining option to pencil in is Velaa Private Island resort, known for its Michelin Star quality fare and impressive over-water dining option.

Sensational sunset bars

Try an insanely good frozen sorbet cocktail in your choice of tropical flavour (pineapple with a splash of Malibu is recommended) at Gili Lankanfushi’s overwater bar, while you relax in one of the woven netted hammocks.

Settle in for the sunset over the incredible lagoon that radiates the 50 shades of blue that many people associate with the Maldives. The clouds then melt into shades of peaches, pinks and creams.

For a slightly different take on a Maldivian sunset, head down to the southern, more remote part of the archipelago to Jumeirah Dhevanafushi resort.

The sunset over the main pool area here exudes deep oranges and reds – a different effect from your usual Maldivian blues.

The Sip (the W Retreat & Spa’s overwater bar) is a bit more hip and happening then the laid-back ambience of the bulk of the Maldives’ bars. Recline on the floating daybeds and bop along to the DJ’s tunes.

Making a splash

The Blue Hole on Baa Atoll is one of the most spectacular diving and snorkelling spots on the planet. Duck dive, take a deep breath, and swim past crazy coral, Nemo gardens and fish galore, then pop out the other end of the tunnel.

It’s actually possible to swim out to it from Amilla Fushi, but generally a guide is recommended.

Another do-not-miss is the lagoon at Hanifaru Bay, which serves as a feeding station for manta rays.

Bountiful amounts of plankton washes in and it brings through masses of the energetic rays that all congregate there from May to November.

Wellness and spas to choose

For an all-encompassing detox week, Amilla Fushi runs an intensive health and wellness program called Bodyism, founded by Australian James Duigan.

Set in its treetop villas, the program is aimed at those who don’t want to overindulge on food and alcohol on their holiday.

Your mini-bar is stacked with healthy treats, fresh juices are delivered, and the daily treatments and activities are all-inclusive.

Where to start for spa treatments? Velaa Private Island has an incredible ‘snow room’ for the ultimate hot-cold contrast, Scandi style; The Six Senses Spa at Soneva Fushi has gorgeous outdoor treatment rooms, in-built baths, all set among running water; while COMO Cocoa Island has an outdoor yoga pavilion of note.

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What about the kids?

Despite the Maldives’ reputation as a couples’ nest, increasingly there are high-end options for families too. Soneva Fushi’s kids’ club, The Den, is up there with the best in the world.

There’s a huge pool with slides, a keyboard on the floor that lights a fibre-optic ceiling and plays different notes as children walk up and down it, a designated Lego room and, get this, even a children’s mocktail bar.

Other child-friendly notables include Amilla Fushi – which has its own marine biologist (in-house mermaid) who can take the kids snorkelling – and Per Aquum Niyama resort.

For the discerning single; yes single (or group)

Relative newcomer Finolhu resort is breaking away from the Maldivian couple mentality, offering its own take on a European beach club, complete with DJs.

On its 1.8-kilometre powdery white sandbank is upbeat Mexican-beach-style Fish & Crab Shack, which serves softshell tacos and fresh buckets of prawns. It’s good for singles but also for groups of friends.

What makes Di Lechner the Maldives expert? She runs luxury concierge service Addicted To Maldives and travels there around four times a year, after spending her honeymoon there nine years ago, and soon after having a “Maldives baby". She is not aligned to any particular property.

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.

The Maldives luxury holiday with absolutely no limits